


Tea with the King of Rize Maxia

by IvaliceForever



Series: Tales of Short Stories [5]
Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: Fluff, Gaius Babysits, Gen, Possible OCC, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 07:48:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17935727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvaliceForever/pseuds/IvaliceForever
Summary: Elle notices that Elize is a bit awkward and nervous around Gaius and resolves to help break the ice between them by nominating Gaius as her babysitter for the day while the others are out on a hunt. Elle just hopes that her plan won't backfire, but His Majesty is actually just as nervous as the resident pinkist.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written purely for fun as an excuse for Gaius and Elize to bond and become better friends. Elle decided she wanted to make it possible. The rest of the gang was just eager to get away from ground zero.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Xillia or its characters, that is the due of Namco-Bandai and rightly so. I am merely playing around with the characters for my own entertainment.**

* * *

 

 

After three days of pursuing their quarry, the group managed to corner the target in the Xagut Floodmeadow. A great cat-like beast had been causing havoc around Xian Du and the prize would more than help Ludger's forced debt. Nobody quite expected the strange effect it had on the Allium Orbs. Partners got swapped mid-art, but while most combinations worked out...the combination of Gaius and Elize fell short and resulted in the King of Rieze Maxia being rendered unconscious as he shielded the girl from an attack that would have possibly killed her. Their artes had been incompatible and the entire group knew that the pair rarely partnered off so there wasn't that same level of awareness as when either one of them teamed with Jude or the rest.

 

"Elize! Are you okay?"

 

"I'm...I'm fine, but Erston's not moving." Elize answered Leia's worried voice, too scared to move. Erston--Gaius had dropped out of his own arte to make sure she wasn't hurt as if it was second nature. In that moment, she didn't see someone as larger than life as a king. Elize saw a man just as human as the rest of them, drop everything to protect a child. Suddenly, he was less frightening an individual and at the same time he was far more the king of Rieze Maxia. 

 

_If I had more trust in him, if I weren't so scared to team up with him in battle this wouldn't have happened. I know that we have artes that would work well together, but there has to be a bond._

 

"E...Elize, are you hurt?"

 

Elize blinked out of her thoughts to see violet-red eyes full of concern as the raven-haired man slowly pushes himself to his knees without so much as flinching save for the small tremor in his side. It was barely perceptible, but Elize was close enough to see how his body struggled to move as he willed it.

 

"I'm not hurt. Thank you Erston. Please, let me heal your ribs."

 

Gaius allowed the talented spellcaster to do so then stood to his full height and helped her stand, shielding her slightly behind his larger form. The swordsman's gaze fell darkly upon the creature that continued to cause trouble for the rest of their party. The king could still feel the twinge of pain in the muscles of his left side but that would require actual rest and time.

 

"Elize, I'm going to unlink us. Head for Rowen and link to him for the remainder of the encounter. I need to get to Ludger."

 

"A-alright. Just...be careful, please Gaius?" Elize asked, not feeling useless so much as worried. Would Gaius even make it to Ludger? While he was strong, he was also still recovering from a blackout. Elize did as she was told, running to a waiting Rowen as Gaius fought his way to Ludger's side in time to link and defend Elle. The battle ended with a multitude of joint artes from the various teams and everyone decided it was time to crash at Ludger's.

 

 

"I really must persist. I cannot accept the use of your bed in your apartment Ludger. I have never had any issue with the sofa."

 

"Erston, I'm asking as your friend. You took the most damage the entire fight and you still insisted on helping me make dinner. Please, sleep on the bed tonight and let Jude look over your ribs just in case they didn't heal in place." Ludger urged, knowing Gaius could be quite stubborn didn't mean he wouldn't insist his injured companion take the bed. Thankfully Elle was the group's trump card.

 

"Please Your Highness? We just want you to be healthy and pain free. If it was anybody else, Ludger would give them the bed too."

 

"Elle has a point Gaius. I mean, Alvin and me have had to borrow the bed before a few times while you were with Rideaux and Ivar. Come on, let me take a better look at your ribs and then get some sleep. You don't want Elle to start fussing." Jude added, gently steering the larger man with surprising ease.

 

Elize watched the exchange, a little jealous that everyone had found their own ways to talk to and really bond with Gaius as if he were just a normal man and not the king of their nation. Elle had taken to him instantly, but Elize was still nervous.

 

"Don't worry Elize! I have a plan to help you be friends too!"

 

Elle's enthusiastic smile was infectious and Elize felt herself smile as well. Teepo napping in her arms. If Elle was certain she could do it, then she'd see what plan the younger girl had up her sleeves.


	2. Chapter 2

"Elle...are you sure this is a good idea?"

 

"It's perfect! His Highness needs rest and I don't want to go on this hunt. You like my plan don't you Your Highness?" Elle asked, looking with pleading seafoam green eyes at the still sleep-addled king of Rieze Maxia. Gaius considered the predicament. Jude had found that the muscles in his left rib cage area were still a bit bruised and it did make it hard to be efficient on the battlefield at present. Elle wanted to stay in the apartment today and Gaius was aware that if he went on the hunt he would be a liability until the bruising and swelling finished healing. Really, there was no reason to deny Elle's request that he be her caretaker for the day.

 

"I don't see why not. As I am right now I would be a detriment to the hunt and Elle cannot be left alone in the apartment. If no one objects I am fine with this arrangement so long as I have something to prepare for Elle's lunch."

 

"Don't worry about that, I have plenty of food in there for both of you to enjoy a good stew for lunch. Elle knows how to use the water kettle for tea and where the tea stuff is. It'll just be the two of you and Elize."

 

"Elize?" Gaius was surprised, he wasn't aware that Elize was staying behind as well and was about to inquire the reason then she spoke up.

 

"If I went there would be an uneven number of people and you can only link to one person at a time. Ludger is partnering with Rowen, Jude with Milla and Alvin with Leia. Muzet is off checking on some rumors around Nia Khera so I wouldn't have a partner."

 

It was only half a lie. Muzet was in on the plan and purposefully made herself scarce and just happened to be in Nia Khera. If Gaius found the lack of his usual partner odd he didn't comment, merely nodded and resumed petting Rollo who had taken up residence on his lap. Elize sighed with relief and felt herself smile, it was always nice seeing Gaius so content when he was with the cats. It really did a lot to make him more approachable.

 

"We'll get ahold of you over the phone if something happens. Make sure you don't over use your left arm Gaius."

 

"I will endeavor to follow your advice Doctor Jude." Gaius said with a small smirk, amused how simply dropping the younger man's title could make him turn an interesting shade of pink. While he normally refrained from teasing, there were moments he felt comfortable doing so. As the group filed out to go take on their hunt, Gaius shifted in his seat suddenly nervous. If it were just Elle, it would have been fine but he still didn't know how to really hold a conversation with Elize and admittedly, he wanted to just once hold Teepo. Gaius had not been exaggerating when said Teepo would have been adorable even the size of a house.

 

It was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the last chapter. I just don't want it constantly in my WIP rotation. I am still updating this.


End file.
